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Auto alternatives for the 21st centuryTue, 31 Mar 2015 14:25:22 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.2Automated Driving And Driving Aids BMW’s Focus At CEShttp://www.hybridcars.com/automated-driving-and-driving-aids-bmws-focus-at-ces/
http://www.hybridcars.com/automated-driving-and-driving-aids-bmws-focus-at-ces/#commentsTue, 07 Jan 2014 05:09:40 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=110666Automated driving is one of the focus of BMW’s presence at the 2014 CES, described by the Bavarian company as highly automated driving at the limit. The BMW Group explained it has created a new kind of research prototype for highly automated driving which uses advanced control technology to demonstrate maximum safety up to the […]

]]>Automated driving is one of the focus of BMW’s presence at the 2014 CES, described by the Bavarian company as highly automated driving at the limit.

The BMW Group explained it has created a new kind of research prototype for highly automated driving which uses advanced control technology to demonstrate maximum safety up to the car’s dynamic limit. In addition, the prototype vehicle will highlight the effectiveness of a new generation of control systems on the closed-off track.

These systems actively intervene in the direction-changing decision-making process and ensure the electronically controlled steering works in perfect harmony with the brakes and accelerator. BMW added these systems go a crucial step further than current systems, which react to the onset of understeer or oversteer with carefully calculated braking inputs.

Advances in camera and video technology have allowed visual detection to serve as a basis for modern assistance systems for some time now. For example, series-produced cars are already available with a camera (mounted in the centre of the windscreen in the base of the rear-view mirror) which delivers data for the Lane Departure Warning and traffic sign recognition systems.

BMW explained the Collision Warning system and Pedestrian Warning with city braking function, Traffic Jam Assistant and camera-based Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function work exclusively on the basis of visual detection. They dispense with additional and costly radar technology, but offer similar functions. These safety systems can therefore also be extended to vehicle classes where demand for sophisticated systems has traditionally been low.

BMW engineers added modern camera-based systems have advantages over purely radar-based applications when it comes to recognition of stationary obstacles. A wide camera angle, moreover, enables reliable detection of objects pulling in or out at the edge of the driver’s field of vision.

At the same time, however, camera-based systems do require certain light conditions, said BMW. These systems are already enhancing safety in the innovative BMW i3, for example.

New Parking Assistant with longitudinal and lateral guidance.

BMW explained the new Parking Assistant with longitudinal and lateral guidance offers customers significantly greater comfort and safety. Not only – as with existing systems – does it use ultrasound sensors to find parking spaces parallel to the road and take over the parking of the car via the electronically controlled steering (lateral guidance); BMW said the assistance system now also switches between the forward and reverse gears of the automatic gearbox and allows the car to pull away and brake automatically (longitudinal guidance). These functions are underpinned by an interface to the gearbox and the electronically controlled accelerator and brake pedal.

All the driver has to do is hold down the button activating the new assistance system and monitor the automatic parking procedure, per BMW.

The functions of systems like the new Parking Assistant with longitudinal and lateral guidance and the Traffic Jam Assistant go much further than existing assistance functions designed to ease the strain on drivers at the wheel. BMW added with their range of part-automated functions, they already lighten the driver’s workload much more significantly than conventional systems. Highly automated vehicles, meanwhile, can take over more of the driver’s tasks at a given time.

All the systems performing these partly automated and highly automated roles are grouped under the BMW ActiveAssist banner and form a new branch of technology within BMW ConnectedDrive.